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(ModeL) I. N. ARMENT.

CAN OPENER.

N0. 327,983. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

liwm'ziar v a/gm 4k UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC N. ARME NT, OF DAYTON, WVASHINGTON TERRITORY.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.327,983, dated October 13, 1885.

Application filed September 13, 1881. Serial No. 41.887. (Model.)

I To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Isaac N. ARMENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Columbia, in Washington Territory, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can and Bottle Openers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to furnish improvements on theinvention patented to me November 23, 1880, and numbered 234,646.

Thisinvention relates, chiefly, to the method by which the can is opened, and it consists in the removal of a narrow ribbon or strip of the metal by means of a knife having a broad or rectangular cuttingedge; and it consists, further, in the method of rolling up into small compass the narrow ribbon or strip which has been removed by the knife.

It consists, further,in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter fully set forth.

In carrying out my invention I employ a knife which has its front cutting-edge the thickest, and is then tapered to a thin rear edge. This blade also has its front cuttingedge sloped backward and downward to a point, all of which will be hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan, partlin section,of one side of my device. Fig. 2 is a plan of the opposite side. Fig. 3 is an edge View, and Fig. 4 shows details of construction.

a is the main bar, carrying the knife b and cork-screw c. The blade and screw are arranged in the slot a, and are held by a single spring, b, which is held in place by a suitable center piece or stud, a. On the end of the bar at opposite to the knife-blade b, there is fixed the spur a curved and adapted to be readily thrust through the top of a tin can.

a is a vertical slot formed through the bar a at the end next the spur a It is closed at its outer end, as shown, and is provided with longitudinal guides a a formed on its sides. The guides a project inwardly toward each other,

and are beveled on their upper and lower sides, as shown, so that they will hold the knife-carrying block and permit the latter to slide freely to and fro in the slot a.

\Vithin the slot at is placed the sliding head or knife-carrying block 6, which has formed in its opposite edges channels or guideways made V shape,to correspond with and fit and slide upon the beveled guides a On what, for convenience, may be called the upper side of the head-block, there is cut away a portion forming a recess, 6, into which is fitted a clamping-plate, 6, held by a thumbsorew, 6 The plate 6 is made so that its edges project slightly outward over the sides of the head-block and clamp firmly against the faces of the guides a when the thumbscrew is turned down onto its top. By this means the headblock can be made rigid in its position at any point in the slot at. The necessary binding may be secured by having the edges of the plate e beveled at a different angle from the bevel of the guide a. The plate e is in the slot (0*, and its beveled edge clamps against the upper beveled faces of the guides (L This gives a firmer lock than is given by ordinary devices.

d is a guide-stud,fixed on the same end of the bar a with but on the opposite side from the spur a d is a knife-blade, having its shank d seated and made fast by a screw, d*, in a recess, (1 formed in the edge of the bar a. The blade extends toward the spur end of and has its point arranged flush with the end of said bar. It diverges sufficiently to provide the necessary space between its edge and the side of the bar. Its cutting-edge is arranged flush with the vertical plane of the edge of the bar a. By this blade, arranged as described, and the stud d, I am enabled to cut close to the edge of square cans and close into the corners. I can also cut the tops off round cans, making the cut on the side of the can just below the rim of the top.

6 is my improved knifeblade fixed on the head-block 6. This knife is constructed so as to present a flat face, 6 (see Fig. 1,) arranged at right angles to the direction of the movement of the knife. This flat face is inclined backward and downward at an angle of about thirty degrees from the under face of the headblock, as shown more clearly inFig. 4, and it ICO is made about the sixteenth part of an inch in Width. From this square or flat face the outer side, 6, is beveled inward, while the opposite or inner side, e, is carried back at right angles thereto. The outer side is beveled, as shown,

to adapt it to the circular movement given to the knife when cutting open a can.

The flat or angular face 6 is employed to cut the tin. It cuts out a small portion of the tin the same Width with itself, and curls the said narrow portion into a solid roll and down into thecan, andleavesbothedgesnamely,the edge of the portion of the top out out and the edge remaining on the can-smooth and straight, as though out by a pair of shears.

The operation of the device will be readily understood by reference to the drawings and the hereinbefore'described construction.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with the main bar provided with a slot, a, spur a and beveled guides a, and the adjustable knife-carrying head 6, having guide-channels on its edges and fitting and sliding on the guides 66', and having a recess, 6, formed across its upper surface, of the plate 6 resting in the cross-recess a, with its edges bearing against the upper bevel of the guides of, and the mechanism for clamping the plate (2 against the upper bevel of guides a substantially as set forth. I

2. The improved can-opener, composed of the bar a, provided with the slot or and with the spur a and stud d, the knife 6, fixed upon the head 6 and adjustable to and fro in the slot a, and the knife 11, fixed to the side of the bar a, and arranged to cut in opposition to the stud d, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, on this 12th day of September, 1881.

ISAAC N. ARMENT.

Witnesses:

Gno. A. DIGGES, P. B. TURPIN. 

